Floating deck for oil tanks



June 13, 1933. J. E. SMITH FLOATING DECK FOR OIL TANKS Filed Feb. 13,1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June13,1933. J.$MITH 1,913,543

FLOATING DECK FOR OIL TANKS Filed Feb. 13. 1929 Y 1 2 Sheets-Shea! 270/6 8 JhngJI 6M1 TH 1 Patented June 13, 1933 cums nsmrnj 01* L08 ITESTATES enemas, enmrormm, nssieuon rownsrnnii time may 00.,AGOBPORATIONor eamronnm irnomme nncxt FOR 011. TANKS y a Application flledj'ebr u ary 1a, 1929, Serial No. 339535.

invention relates generally to the storage of petroleum oils in storagetanks ofthe typein which a floating deck or roof may beused forthepurpose of preventing lossdue to evaporation of the lighter constituentsof the oil and the further purpose a of minimizing the fire hazard, thisinvention relating more particularly to a novel deck construction andseal for closing the space between the deck and tank. a

Oneof theprincipal objects of my mvention is to produce adeckof theclass described, having a simple and effective sealor closure membermounted thereon which has few parts and which is simplein'operation.

vide a deck construction of simple form in whichprovision is madefor theaccumulation anddisposition of vapors and gases.

Another objectof my invention is to provide a deck construction ofsimpleform in Another object of my invention is to prowhich drainage ofwater accumulation on the accompanying drawings. v

Referrlng to the drawings whlchare for deck is provided forin manner; a

a simple; and efficient Other obj cats and advanta es will appearhereinafter in the following escriptlon and illustrative purposes onlyFig. lis a fragmentary vertical sectional view showinga portion of atank and j adf jacent portions ofia floating deck and seal embodying aform of my invention.

Fig 3 is a face vlew adjacent shield plates and fle iblei'connectiontherebetween.

wform'.ofmyinventionz;

Figgfi ya ilan viewionsmaller-scale, of

More particularly describing myinvention as illustrated in the drawings,numeral 11 designates the side wall of a tank containing liquid such aspetroleumoil; such tankbeing Numeral 12 designates afloating deck orroof means of a suitable sealing devicetobe here inafter described.

The sidewall 14 or theater extends below the deck plate orfloor 13 toform acircular skirt 15 and also extends above the deck plate a 13 toform one wallof an annular gas and a vapor collect ng chamber 16,circular inner wall 17 and top wall 18 forming the remaining walls ofthe annular chamber which is 1 provided with slotted openings 20formedin the deck plate 13 through which the oil,

vapors and gas iuayenter the accumulating chamber 16. Numeral 21designates any common form of relief valve which controlsdischargeofvapor or gas from the chamber 16, itbeingiuiderstood thatsuch chamber adds to the buoyancy ofthe deck andbeing .lannular in formand disposed around the edge of the deck, such chamber minimizes thetendency of the deck to tip or to assume an uneven position in the tank}Provisionis made for hal idling rain or Water deposited on the deckwhich consistsof acover member 25 consisting of li ht, sheet from themetal which slants downwardly center of the deck to an annular trough 26which is provldediwith dischargefpipes 26 p in theform of trapsextending downwardly Fig." 2 is afragmentary plan viewof the partsillustrated inFig. 1. 1

of portions of two intothe oil so that such trapsiat-all times containsufficient quantity of water to seal such traps against dischargeofj-vaporsor gas therethrough. An additlonal advantage is that Waterdischarged therethrough is not discharged directly downwardly into the aoil thereby agitating the oil butis discharged over the upwardlyextending submerged. end of the trap with a more quiescent action.

a The sealing structure consists of a series of circularplates 30 ofthinsheet metal of substantially the same diameter as the side wall ofthe tank, such platesattheit" adjacent edges being spaced a )art andconnected together by strips of ficxi leinaterial 31, secured to theends ofthe plates 30 by means of of common construction and open at thetop. bars 32 and bolts 35. These strips 31 are are on the inside of thetank as well as on the outside as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 inwhich case the corrugated surface of the shield will permit aclose'contact of the shield between rivet heads exposed on the inside ofthe tank. The lower portion of each shield plate 30 is angularlydisposed extending inwardly as indicated at 33 to the deck to which thelower end of the plates 30 are riveted or otherwise firmly secured asindicated at 34.

The angular portion or leg 33 of the plates 30 is of suflicient lengthto permit a yieldin action of the plates 30 against the side wal of thetank, the plates being so arranged as to yieldingly press against theside wall of the tanks,which action may be assisted by coiledcompression springs 36 or otherwell' known resilient mem ers, interposedbetween such plates and the deck, such sprlngs being supported indescribed position in any suitable manner.

The form shown in Fig. 4 is the same as that heretofore described inconnection with the preceding figures, except that the plates 40 areflat instead of the corrugated type heretofore described.

With either type of sealing plate shown, attention is directed to thebroad idea disclosed of thin sheet metal plates fixed at their lowerends to the deck in such a manner that such lower or leg portions of theplates provide suflicient flexibility to permit the shifting of the deckin the tank against yieldin pressure which tends to centralize the deckin the tank.

The sealing plates together with the wall 14 of the deck form an annulartrough around the periphery of the deck, the sealing plates forming ayieldable side for such trough being so designed as to yieldingly remainin contact with the tank at such times as the deck may assume aneccentric position in the tank.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to anymechanical detail of construction shown and described but includes suchchanges and modifications as come within the scope of my invention asset forth in the appended claims.

In the form shown in Figs. 5 and 6, a series of vapor chambers 45 areconstructed at spaced intervals around the edge of the deck plate 46,said chambers 45 extending above the deck plate and each being providedwith openings 47 to provide open communication with the fluid in thetank.

Relief valves 48 are mounted on outlets 49, each chamber 45 beingprovided with a separate relief valve. I

In this form the sealing plates 50 are but inwardly and upwardly attheir lower ends as indicated at 51 in the form of a trough, the innerupwardly extending edge 52 of which is riveted to the lower edge 53 ofthe circular side wall 54 of the deck.

The plates 50-being of light sheet metal yieldingly press against thetank wall 55, the curved portion 51 of such allowing a yielding movementof the plates. Coiled springs 57 are interposed between the plates 50and the deck which assist in retaining the plates against the wall ofthe tank such springs beingattached to the wall 54 in any suitablemanner.

The plates 50 are connected to each other along their adjacent verticaledges by means of flexible strips 58 in the manner heretofore describedin connection with the preceding figures. 6O designates a drain pipe bymeans of which any accumulation of moisture on the deck may bedischarged into the tanks, such drain pipe in the form shown in Figs. 5and 6 being connected to and supported by the deck plate 46. I

I claim as my invention:

1. A floating deck for oil tanks having a series of curved sealingplates engaging the tank and extending inwardly and downward- 11y fromsuch tank engaging portion to the eck to form an annular trough aboutsaid deck, said plates being formed of yieldable sheet metal andextending below the surface of the oil, and means for rigidly securingthe lower ends of said plates to said deck to form a resilient supportfor said tank engaging portion.

2. A floating deck for oil tanks having a series of yieldable sealingplates circular in form rigidl attached at their lower ends to the outerace of the deck and extending therefrom outwardly and upwardly intoyielding engagement with the tank and spring compression meansinterposed between said plates and said deck.

3. A floating deck for oil tanks having a series of yieldable sealingplates circular in form rigidly attached at their lower ends to theouter face of the deck and extending therefrom outwardly and upwardlyinto yielding engagement with the tank, spring compression meansinterposed between said plate and said deck, and flexible meansconnecting the adjacent edges of said plates.

4. A floating deck for oil tanks having a series of yieldable sealingplates circular in form rigidly attached at their lower ends to theouter face of the deck and extending therefrom outwardly and upwardlyinto yielding engagement with the tank, spring compression meansinterposed between said plate and said deck, and, flexible meansconnecting the adjacent edges of said plates, said flexible meansconsisting of strips of fabric and means for securing said fabric to theadjacent ends of said plates.

5. A floating deck for oil tanks having a series of curved sealingplates engaging the tank and extendin inwardly and downwardly from suchtank engaging portion to the deck to form an annular trough about saiddeck, said plates being formed of yieldable sheet metal and extendingbelow the surface of the oil, and means for securing the lower ends ofsaid plates to the outer face of said deck in fixed relation thereto,said tank engaging portion of said sealing plates being a formed ofcorrugated sheet metal.

6. In combination with an oil storage tank, a floating deck, an annularvapor receiving chamber on said deck in open communication with the oilin said tank, and sealing means betweensaid chamber and said tank, saidsealing means consisting of a series of circular plates formed'ofyieldable sheet metal having their lower edges rigidly secured to a wallof said chamber and extending outwardly into yielding engagement withthe tank.

7 In combination with an oil storage tank, a floating deck, an annularvapor receiving chamber on said deck in open communication with the oilin said tank, sealing means between said chamber and said tank, saidsealing means embodying a sheet metal plate resiliently mounted on saidchamber, and valve means for automatically relieving pressure in saidchamber.

8. In combination with an oil storage tank, a floating deck, acover forsaid deck formin an annular trough, discharge pipes for said trough,extending into the oil in said tank and havin a submerged outlet end,and sealing means etween said deck and said tank.

9. A floating deck for oil tanks comprising a horizontally disposed deckplate, a circular side wall extending upwardly from said deck plate, acircular rim on said deck plate extending downwardly therefrom, circularsealing lates about said deck, each havin a yielda le tank engagingportion adapte to extend to the surface of the oil and terminating in adownwardly and inwardly extending portion and means for rigidly securingthe lower end of said plates to said rim to form a resilient support forsaid of the oil, said plates having outwardly "extending portionsadapted to yieldingly engage the tank below the surface of the oil.

11. A floating deck for oil tanks comprising a horizontally disposeddeck plate adapted to rest upon the surface of the oil; a circular sidewall mounted upon said deck plate, said side wall extending upwardly toform a lip around said deck plate and downwardly to form a circular wallextending 1nto the oil; a vapor-receiving chamber associated with saidupwardly extending lip; and a resilient metal sealing plate secured tothe lower end of said downwardly extending wall, said sealing platehaving outwardly extending portions adapted to yieldingly engage thetank.

12. A floating deck for oil tanks comprising a horizontally disposeddeck plate, an annular vapor receivin on said deck plate exten ingupwardly therefrom, a side wall on said deck plate forming the outerwall of said chamber and extending below the deck plate to form anannular skirt thereon, said deck plate having openings therein in opencommunication with said.

chamber, and sealing means attached to said side wall extending intoyielding engagement with the walls of the tank.

chamber mounted a In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set 5

